Grapple



April 30, 1946.

w. l. GEIGER GRAPPLE Filed Jan. 25, 1945 Patented Apr. 30, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRAPPLE WllardvI. Geiger, Jacksonville, Fla. Application January Z3, 1945, Serial No. 574,116

` 13 claims. j (ci. 294-106) This invention relates to grapple devices for handling boxes, structural bars, plates, and sheets, and timbers.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a grapple device which will handle boxes, structural bars, plates, and sheets, and timbers with great facility.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a grapple device which will be automatic in operation as to grasping the desired object.

Another object of this invention is to provide an adjustable means in the grapple device so that the latter can be adjusted to grasp objects of different thicknesses.

A further object of this invention is to provide a releasing means on the grapple device so that the object grasped can be released in mid-al1` at any time, if desired.

An additional object is to provide a grapple device of rigid construction and involving a minimum number of parts.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a grapple comprising a pair of cooperating jaws, a first pair of spaced substantially pai'- allel transverse members attached to one of said jaws, a second pair of spaced substantially parallel transverse members attached to Athe other jaw, supporting means attached to each pair of transverse members, and a second pair of closely spaced substantially parallel secondary transverse members on each jaw; said grapple also being provided with adjustment means comprising a pair of adjustment members, one thereof being pivotally connected to one pair of said seccndary transverse members on one jaw, and the other adjustment member being 'pivotally connected to the other pair of said secondary transverse members on the other of said pair of jaws, and means attached to said adjustment members to vary the width of the bight between the cooperating jaws.

Still other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection 'with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a view in end elevation of the adjustable grapple device;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation View; and,

Fig. 4 is a detail view similar to' Fig. 1 but showing the releasing means and the jaws of the grapple in released position.

Referring to the drawing wherein like'numerals designate like part-s in the various views, it will be seen that the gripping jaws of the grapple comprise a pair of members I-I. These members may be made of commercial angle bar stock which obviously may be suitably heat treated, as by case hardening, to improve the wear resisting quality. if desired. Each jaw member comprises a gripping flange I-a and a flange I b to which the 'supporting means is attached. The gripping anges I--b may be suitably rounded at l--c to increase the contact area with the object gripped, if desired. Spaced apart along each jaw member I and in parallel relationship, there are two web members 2 which are attached to the jaw members I-I in any suitable manner, as by welding. The'web members 242 are of generally triangular shape and terminate at their outer apices, beyond the body of the anges I-b, in rings 2-a. To each of these rings there is attached a cable 3 and these cables are attached at their-'tops to a ring 4. As shown in Fig. 1 the cables 3-3 attached to the opposite jaws I-I form the sides of a triangle when under stress and similarly, as shown 'in Fig. 2, the cables 3-3 on each jaw member I form a truncated triangle. The ring 4 is in turn'att'ached by hook 5 and cable 6 to a gantry crane or hoist, not shown.

Intermediate the parallel triangular web members 2-2' there is positioned a second pair of quadrant shaped web members 'I-'I likewise in close parallel relationship and attached to the jaw members in any suitable manner, as by welding. A vertical'bar member 8 has its lower end positioned intermediate the web members 1-1 on the right jaw member (Fig. 1) and pivotally attached to these web members by a pin 9. Similarly, a second vertical bar member I0 is positioned with its lower end intermediate the web members 'I-l on the' left jaw member l and likewise attached'to these members by a pin 9. The vertical bar member 8 is provided with a rectangular cross slot at I I and the vertical bar member I0 with a similar but enlarged slot at I2. A cross bar member I3 is ntted in the slot II in the vertical bar member 8 and attached to the latter member by pins or rivets I 4. The cross bar member I3 extends freely through the slot I2 in the vertical bar and is serrated at I3-c. The vertical bar member III has a tooth I-a at the bottom and outer end of the slot I2.

As will be readily seen, the width of the bight between the jaw members I-I can be varied by setting the tooth IIJ- a on the vertical bar member ID between diierent serration I3a on the cross bar member I3.

The cross bar member I3 is also provided with a row of holes I5V into any one of which a hook IG may be attached, as shown in Fig. 4. Normally, the hook is attached in a hole approximately mid-Way between the vertical bar members 8 and IB. The hook I6 is carried by a cable or chain I1 which extends to the gantry crane or hoist (not shown). If it be desired to release the object carried by the grapple, the' cable or chain I'I can be pulled or merely held taut and the main supporting cable 6 lowered whereby the four (4) cablesA 3 will become limp and the right jaw I will rotate in the clockwise, and the left jaw I in the counter-clockwise direction (Figs. 1 and 4) to release the grasped object.

The angle bars of the grapple may be made of iron or steel or alloys of iron or steel containing a small amount of nickel, molybdenum, tungsten and the like. Similarly, other parts of the grapple may be made of same or analogous metals. All of these elements are desirably rust-proof. This may be accomplished by incorporating a certain amount of chromium, as for example 12 to 20%, in the iron or steel so as to provide the usual chromium rust-proof product.

While the foregoing specication sets' forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size, and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be -secured Vby Letters Patent is:

1. A grapple comprising a pair of cri-operating jaws, being of right angle shape, a pair of web members united with the legs of each jaw,l supporting means attached to the outer ends of said web members, another pair of webmembers united with the legs of each jaw and intermediate the rst pair of web members, adjustiment means including co-operating members attached to the second pair of web members, and releasing means attached to the adjustment means.

2. A grapple comprising a pair of substantially parallel jaw members of right angle. shape, a pair of spaced parallel web members `attached to each jaw member and joining the legs of each angle, the outer ends of the web members being formed as rings, and a supporting vcradle comprising a pair of cables of substantially equal length, each cable being attached' at its. ends to the rings on the web members of one jaw member, and ring means engaging the cables at their mid-sections.

3. A grapple comprising a pair of substantially parallel jaw members of right angle shape. a pair of web members on each jaw member in closely spaced parallel relationship and uniting the legs of each angle, and adjustment 'means comprising a pair of substantially vertical bar members respectively pivoted at. their lower ends to the web members on each jaw member, and a cross bar member attached at one end to. the upper end of each of the Vertical bar members, the attachment means between the cross bar member and oneA of the vertical bar members comprising serrations on the cross bar member and a tooth on the vertical bar member engageable with the serrations..

4. A grapple comprising a pair of substantially parallel jaw members of right angle shape, a pair of web members on each jaw member in closely spaced parallel relationship and'r uniting the legs of each angle, and adjustment means comprising a pair of substantially vertical bar members.

respectively pivoted at their lower ends to the web members on each jaw member, and a cross bar member attached at its ends to the upper ends of each of the vertical bar members, the attachment means between the cross bar member and one of the vertical bar members comprising serrations on the cross bar member and a tooth on the vertical bar member engageable with the serrations, and releasing means attached to the cross bar member.

- 55A grapple comprising a pair of substantially parallel jaw members of right angle shape, a pair of spaced parallel web members attached to each jaw member and joining the legs of each angle, the outer ends of the web members being formed as rings, and a supporting cradle comprising a pair of cables of substantially equal length, each cable. being attached at its ends to the rings on the web members of one jaw member, and ring means engaging the cables at their mid-sections, a second pair of web members on each jaw member in closely spaced parallel relationship and intermediate the rst pair of spaced parallel web members, and adjustment means comprising a pair of substantially vertical bar members respectively pivoted at their lower ends to the second pair of web members on each jaw member, and a cross bar member attached at its ends to the upper end of each of the vertical bar members, the attachment means between the cross bar member and one of the vertical bar members comprising serrations on the cross bar member and a tooth on the vertica-l bar member engageable with the serrations.

6. A grapple comprising a pair of substantially parallel jaw members of right angle shape, a pair of spaced parallel web members attached to each jaw member and joining the legs of each angle, the outer ends of the web members being formed as rings, and a supporting cradle comprising a pair of cables of substantially equal length, each cable being attached at its ends to the rings on the web members of one jaw member, andl ring meansy engaging the cables at their mid-sections, av second pair of web members on each jaw member in closely spaced parallel relationsloipl and intermediate the first pair of spaced parallel web members, and adjustment means comprising a pair of su-bstantially vertical bar members respectively pivoted at their lower ends tothe second pair of web members on each jaw member, and a cross bar member attached at its end to the upper ends of the end of the vertical bar members, the attachment means between the cross bar member and one of the vertical. bar members comprising serrations on the cross bar member and a tooth on the vertical bar member engageable with the serrations, and releasing means attached to the cross bar member.

7. A grapple comprising a pair of cooperating jaws, arst pair of spaced substantially parallel transverse members attached to one of said jaws, a second pair of spaced substantially parallel transverse members attached to the other jaw, supporting means attached to each pair of transverse members, a second pair 0f closely spaced substantially parallel secondary transverse members on each jaw, and adjustment means comprising a pair of adjustment members, one thereof being pivotally connected to one pair of said secondary transverse members on one jaw, and the other adjustment member being pivotally connected tothe other pair of said secondary transverse members on the other of said pair of jaws, and means attached to said adjustment members to vary the width of the bight between the cooperating jaws.

8. A grapple comprising a pair of cooperating jaws, a first pair of spaced substantially parallel transverse members attached to one of said jaws, a second pair of spaced substantially parallel transverse members attached to the other jaw, supporting means attached to each pair of transverse members, a second pair of closely spaced substantially parallel secondary transverse members on each jaw, and adjustment means comprising a pair of adjustment members, one thereof being pivotally connected at its lower end to one of said pairs of secondary transverse members on one jaw and the other adjustment member being pivotally connected at its lower end to the other pair of said secondary transverse members on the other of said pair of jaws, and means attached to the upper end of each of said adjustment members to vary the width of the bight between the cooperating jaws.

9. A grapple comprising a pair of cooperating jaws, a rst pair of spaced substantially parallel transverse members attached to one of said jaws, a second pair of spaced substantially parallel transverse members attached to the other jaw, supporting means attached to each pair of transverse members, a second pair of closely spaced substantially parallel secondary transverse members on each jaw, and adjustment means comprising a pair of adjustment members, one thereof being pivotally connected to one pair of said secondary transverse members on one jaw, and the other adjustment member being pivotally connected to the other pair of said secondary transverse members on the other of said pair of jaws, and a cross member transvrersely attached to each of said adjustment members, the attachment means between the cross member and the adjustment members comprising serrations on the cross member and a tooth on one of the adjustment members engageable with the serrations.

10. A grapple comprising a pair of substan- J tially parallel jaw members having leg members which extend at substantially a right angle one to the other, a rst pair of spaced substantially parallel primary transverse members attached to the leg members of one of said jaws, a second pair of spaced substantially parallel primary transverse members attached to the legs of the other jaw, supporting means attached to each pair of said transverse members, a second pair of closely spaced substantially parallel secondary transverse members on each jaw, each pair being disposed intermediate the primary transverse members on each jaw, and adjustment means comprising a pair of adjustment members, one thereof being pivotally connected to thev pair of secondary transverse members on one jaw and the other adjustment member being pivotally connected to the other pair of secondary transverse members on the other of said pair of jaws, and means attached to said adjustment members to vary the width of the bight between the cooperating jaws.

l1. A grapple comprising a pair of substantially parallel jaw members having leg members which extend at substantially a right angle one to the oth'er, a first pair of spaced substantially parallel primary transverse members attached to the leg members of one of said jaws, a second pair of spaced substantially parallel primary transverse members attached to the legs of the other jaw, cable means attached to the outer ends of each of said primary transverse members, suspending means engaging said cable means, a second pair of closely spaced substantially parallel secondary transverse members on each jaw, each pair being disposed intermediate the primary transverse members on each jaw, and adjustment means comprising a pair of adjustment members, one thereof being pivotally connected to the pair of secondary transverse members on one jaw and the other adjustment member being pivotally connected to the other pair of secondary transverse members on the other of said pair of jaws, and means attached t0 said adjustment members to vary the width of the bight between the cooperating jaws.

12. A grapple comprising a pair of cooperating jaws, a rst pair of spaced substantially parallel transverse members attached to one of said jaws, a second pair of spaced substantially parallel transverse members attached to th'e other jaw, supporting means attached to each pair of transverse members, a second pair of closely spaced substantially parallel secondary transverse members on each jaw, and adjustment means comprising a pair of adjustment members, one thereof being pivotally connected to one pair of said secondary transverse members on one jaw, and the other adjustment member being pivotally connected to the other pair of said secondary transverse members on the other of said pair of jaws, means attached to said adjustment members to vary the width of the bight between the cooperating jaws, and releasing means attached to the adjustment means.

13. A grapple comprising a pair of cooperating jaws having leg members which extend at an angle one to the other, a pair of primary transverse members united with the legs of each jaw, supporting means attached to each of said transverse members, another pair of closely spaced secondary transverse members united with the legs of each jaw and intermediate the first pair of primary transverse members, adjustment means including cooperating members attached to the second pair of secondary transverse members on each jaw, and releasing means attached to the adjustment means.

WILLARD I. GEIGER. 

